Quotes on policies towards women Edexcel GCSE History B Schools History Project: Life in Germany by Steve Waugh, Pearson Education 2009
p.72
'In 1933 the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage was introduced. This provided loans to help young couples to marry, as long as the wife left her job. For each child, up to four children, couples were allowed to keep one-quarter of the loan. A number of other policies encouraged more births and laws against abortion were strictly enforced. Birth-control clinics were closed down and a massive propaganda campaign was launched to promote the importance of the mother and the family. The government also increased maternity benefits.'
p.72
'The idea Nazi woman was fair-haired, blue-eyed and sturdily built. She was expected to have broad hips for childbearing and to wear traditional clothes, not fashionable ones. She would not wear make-up, nor did she smoke or drink. Slimming was frowned upon because being slim was considered bad for childbearing.'
p.73
How successful were the Nazi policies re women: the Nazis wanted to see more marriages, more children and fewer women working for a living. There were successes here - number of marriages went up, as did birth rate; 6 million members of the Women's Enterprise Organisation etc. However, the birth rate would prob have gone up anyway following the Depression and most families continued to have two children. And the number of women in employment actually increased:
'Moreover, the number of women in employment actually increased from 4.85 million in 1933 to 7.14 million six years later. From 1936, there was a labour shortage and the Nazis needed more workers in heavy industry because of rearmament. In 1937, the Nazis changed the marriage loan scheme to allow married women who had been given a loan to take up employment. Many employers preferred women workers because they were cheaper.'
Edexcel GCSE History B Schools History Project: Life in Germany by Steve Waugh, Pearson Education 2009
p.72
'In 1933 the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage was introduced. This provided loans to help young couples to marry, as long as the wife left her job. For each child, up to four children, couples were allowed to keep one-quarter of the loan. A number of other policies encouraged more births and laws against abortion were strictly enforced. Birth-control clinics were closed down and a massive propaganda campaign was launched to promote the importance of the mother and the family. The government also increased maternity benefits.'
p.72
'The idea Nazi woman was fair-haired, blue-eyed and sturdily built. She was expected to have broad hips for childbearing and to wear traditional clothes, not fashionable ones. She would not wear make-up, nor did she smoke or drink. Slimming was frowned upon because being slim was considered bad for childbearing.'
p.73
How successful were the Nazi policies re women: the Nazis wanted to see more marriages, more children and fewer women working for a living. There were successes here - number of marriages went up, as did birth rate; 6 million members of the Women's Enterprise Organisation etc. However, the birth rate would prob have gone up anyway following the Depression and most families continued to have two children. And the number of women in employment actually increased:
'Moreover, the number of women in employment actually increased from 4.85 million in 1933 to 7.14 million six years later. From 1936, there was a labour shortage and the Nazis needed more workers in heavy industry because of rearmament. In 1937, the Nazis changed the marriage loan scheme to allow married women who had been given a loan to take up employment. Many employers preferred women workers because they were cheaper.'